73% Pinot Noir, 27% Chardonnay. Another faintly hued wine, which is slightly more orange than pink, but it is definitely in the splitting hairs realm of argument. Tart on the nose, quite lovely, even. Heavy on tartness, subtle fruit, layered. Yeah, I could hang out here for a while, even a long while. Perhaps not to the level of the top wines here, but it is close, really close. Excellent.

Subtle white, with subdued herbal notes, but cream and salted butter emerge midpalate together with notes of citrus and yellow apple. Hints of orange and mint linger on the long, well-defined finish. Drink now through 2026.

57% Chardonnay, 43% Pinot Noir. Another pale wine in the glass, just a hint of pinkish-orange with a fairly muted nose. Eventually, some creamy strawberry-rhubarb ekes out, but only just barely. The palate is tart with different flavors than what I normally expect. I can’t really place the fruit, but it is certainly tart and nuanced. Again, this is not what I expect from a rosé sparkling, but I do know that I like it. Perhaps a lot. Excellent.

Savory, with a supple mix of dried red fruit and roast beef flavors supported by medium-grained tannins. Cocoa powder on the finish. Drink now.

The right reds and the sweet treats tooLa Crema Monterey 2017 Pinot Noir has deep raspberry and cherry fruit which carry some vanilla hand luggage on the bouquet.In the mouth, the soft red fruits are elevated by elegant oak and a smidge of floral delicacy.Crisp acidity drifts in through the mid-palate, giving balance and a lightness of touch to this central Californian pinot that benefits from the coastal breezes that this fussy grape variety seems to enjoy.

A good value, the 2019 Chardonnay Bar-M gives up a juicy, vibrant nose of tart pineapple, citrus, and honeyed flowers. These carry to a rich, medium to full-bodied Chardonnay with a killer texture, nicely integrated acidity, and a great finish. Pairing wonderfully fresh, complex aromatics with plenty of oomph and richness on the palate, this beautiful Chardonnay is ideal for drinking over the coming 4-5 years (although it will keep even longer).

This dark ruby colored Cabernet Franc from La Jota opens with a blueberry and vanilla bouquet with a hint of boysenberry. On the palate, this wine is medium plus bodied, very nicely balanced and juicy. The flavor profile is tasty red plum with notes of black raspberry and crushed gravel. We also detected some hints of black tea and oak mixed in. The finish is dry and its very dusty tannins build-up and stick around for very long time. The Panel suggested pairing this very good Cab Franc with Emeril's spicy root beer and bourbon glazed baby back ribs or with the wagyu meatballs from Strega.

40 of the best Christmas wines: MATTHEW JUKES on the perfect tipples for the festive season The Zinfandel grape is tailormade for a Christmas feast. While this is a rich, decadently spiced, deeply rewarding red wine with glossy fruit and a luxurious texture, it is the breadth of flavour which really catches one's interest. Cinnamon spice, cloves and cranberries can be found, along with redcurrants, blueberries, darker berries and plums. There is smoky oak too, and this all adds up to a flavour cacophony only Zin can deliver.

Not All Russian River Valley Wines Are The SameSiduri makes pinot noir from several West Coast regions that are reasonably priced. This expressive version from the Russian River Valley is ready-to-drink with bright black cherry and raspberry flavors, medium body, and a hint of mushrooms. The Santa Barbara pinot noir is a deal at $30.

Not All Russian River Valley Wines Are The SameLa Crema, a producer of outstanding single-vineyard pinot noirs, pulled out the stops for this exclusive anniversary pinot noir from the best grapes in its possession. Founding winemaker Rod Berglund teamed up with a current winemaker Jen Walsh to create this special pinot noir with power and concentration. Raspberry aromas are followed by varietal black cherry flavors and a good dose of cocoa. Aged in French oak for 10 months.

I’m often asked whether it’s better to go white or red with the Christmas turkey and my answer is that either is fine. It’s what you fancy. My choice for a festive white comes from California, or more precisely, the Monterey Valley. Kendall-Jackson Vintners Reserve Chardonnay 2018 which offers lovely bright tropical fruit and well-integrated toasty oak.

Opaque garnet color, plum and sweet oak nose, smooth and luscious with deep plum, raspberry and black cherry; vanilla new oak, tangy, generous and long; yet another Chris Carpenter masterpiece, this one made from fruit grown at 1800 feet.

The 30 Best Wines To Drink During The HolidaysBest Holiday Wines $20 and UnderThere’s a good reason this has been America’s top-selling Chardonnay for close to three decades. It has everything Chardonnay lovers are looking for—full, rich flavor with fruit-forward notes of tropical pineapple and papaya. Oh, and it goes splendidly with just about anything, from cheese during apps to chicken and seafood during dinner.

The 14 Best Chardonnays to Drink in 2020There's more to this popular grape than the over-oaked style of yesteryear.Runner-Up Best Oaked: 2016 Stonestreet Upper Barn ChardonnayWinemaker Lisa Valtenbergs makes the most of Stonestreet’s mountain terroir on the Black Mountain range of the Mayacamas. Known for their distinctive cabernets and sauvignon blancs, Valtenbergs and her Stonestreet team also have a gift for chardonnay that matches the intensity of the flavor to the altitude of their mountains.In this wine, you'll find ripe apricots and candied pineapple with candied ginger, burnt honeycomb and Marcona almonds. The nose is bright and clean and the texture is rich, full-bodied and long.

Pinots from the Willamette Valley in Oregon seem to hold a regular spot on my Top 10 list, and that's not surprising given the quick ascent of quality we've seen from that part of our viniferous landscape. There's a Burgundian elegance to this 2018 red from the Yamhill-Carlton American Viticultural Area that speaks softly rather than screams for attention; too many California pinots have grown ponderous in a style not befitting the French origins of this grape. Subtle oak creates soft edges for the ethereal red fruit notes of cherries and strawberries in this stylish wine.

Don Hartford founded this Sonoma winery with support from his father-in-law Jess Jackson back in the early '90s. During the preceding years, it's gone from strength to strength, particularly with chards, pinots and old vine zinfandels. Some of the single-vineyard offerings go for top dollar (and garner astronomical scores) but there's always an affordable Russian River version that combines grape sources. Well-balanced and not a bit over the top, this 2018 zin is luxuriant with notes of plums, blackberries and a light vanilla toast.

Great Wine ValuesSonoma County is the largest appellation, but also the least prestigious, with the loosest quality standards. Within the county line, three superior appellations include the key word “Sonoma”: Sonoma Coast, Sonoma Valley and Sonoma Mountain. Of these, only Sonoma Coast is strongly associated with cool climate wine styles, like chardonnay, pinot noir and sparkling wine. Its terrain is often draped in fog due to cold ocean currents along its rocky shore, which slows the rush to ripeness and allows grapes to develop high levels of sugar and flavor without losing balancing acidity. It is rare to find Sonoma Coast bottlings under $20 but their superior quality makes them worth the extra spend, as with this opulent chardonnay, loaded with flavors of white peaches and lemon meringue pie.

Top 10 Wine and Cheese PairingsPinot Grigio Cheese Pairing:Baby SwissPinot Grigio has notes of lemon, apple, and honeysuckle on the nose and a saline quality on the palate. It beautifully complements the buttery, creamy notes of Baby Swiss cheese while offering freshness and a tiny bit of much-needed salinity. Think of it as the crystal salt on homemade butter on bread. It’s a wonderful pairing. Our favorite Pinot Gris for pairing: La Crema.

Celebrate holidays with gifts from BC Liquor StoresAn absolutely fabulous value in Napa Valley, this stunning Cabernet Sauvignon offers loads of cassis, black plums and mulberries plus hints of dark chocolate, herbs and earth in a lush, opulent, full-bodied profile.